Chapter 3: Location, location location

When Rabanus also expresses his distatste for meddling with the emperor (see ooc), Hildegard sighs and says, "so Trier it is".

ooc: makes it easier for me - less research! I'll continue with Trier in a day or two.

The first leg of the journey, to Trier, is rather uneventful. There is more traffic on the neckar and Rhine, and there is a tavern brawl, but nothing that a few easy spells couldn't sort. There is tangible exictement and an air of expectation prior to king Friederich's Reichstag (meeting). You also learn that the archbishop of Trier is in Frankfurt.
As you approach Trier, you see ruins that are obviously Roman. It is ten in the morning, and sunny.

ooc: Anything you do as you approach the city? Do you want to go straight to the address given in Hildegard's notes?

Rabanus is rather uneasy. He tighly wraps his cloak around him and hides his face in the hood of his cloak as much as possible.

"Let´s hurry to the place and get done with what we came to do. Somehow i got a bad feeling about this town."

Arturous thinks about answering Rabanus, but then reconsiders.
The Criamon has proven himself to be eerily perceptive.
"Let's go" He finally says, and starts walking after Rabanus, keeping an eye out for potential trouble.

Honorus is not as tense as Rabanus but watchful none the less. Theron is sent to south to look around and to wait for Honorus by the old south gate.

"I would like to look at some of the Roman ruins to the south of Trier if we have time. Perhaps we would not have to occupy the old Covenant in the city if a suitable aura is found outside."

Hildegard hesitates and looks at her collegues in their wizard's robes. She shakes her head disapprovingly: "Have you forgotten that tavern brawl? Do you really plan to wear those robes? Wouldn't something more subtle be advisable for a town of this size? Of course I can magically create clothes for you, but our friend Rabanus might create illusionary clothes that will make things easier for us - it might help if you looked like members of the clergy, or like merchants, or even lepers. I'll do fine - I'm just a child, am I not?"

ooc: the townspeople will of course dislike anyone gifted, but if we enter the town in full regalia, our visit may be interesting. Jebrick, interesting idea about the ruins!

"You are right. We are blind to what we do everyday. Lets send Albirich in to buy clothing for us."

"What kind?"

"Simple peasant's garments would serve me best. It would draw the least attention"

"Or Scholar's robes. I doubt we could pass as peasants other than at a glance."

Arturous casts his spell in a loud voice, gesturing fiercely. The tall imposing magus is replaced by an image of a middle aged, sun tanned farmer. The illusion is complete – down to the dirt underneath the old man's fingertips.
"This will do. I only require suitable clothing to go with it. Can you conjure something up, Hildegard? "

[size=85]ooc: invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2381248/
casting muto imaginem spont spell to change appearance: 1 (base) + 2 (duration to up to sun), personal target. casting score is 0, +2 for gestures and voice. Used fatigue for the spont spell for a total of 6/2 = 3, just enough...[/size]

Hildegard creates simple garments for Arturous. "You may want to roll in mud a little", she states, seeing how clean they are. "And get yourself some real clothes before the sun sets."

When everybody is dressed, they enter the town. People do their usual bit of shoving, stinkeye and spitting, but apart from that you can easily follow the redcaps' description to find the Blaue Keiler (German: blue boar) on Fleischerstrasse. The house next to it...

... has a sign on the door that marks it as Jewish. If the descriptions are correct, this must be the former covenant.

Honorus enters the shop and begins to look around at the structure. Trying to figure out how to enter the Covenant from this place. He will not ignore the shop owner when spoken too.

It is a wine shop.

The room is spacious and long, but rather dark. Shelves filled with bottles line the left hand side behind the counter. To the right, you can see wine barrels. Straight ahead you can look into a backyard - two rooms that look private are behind the showroom. The air smells slightly of vinegar, but there are no flies.

On the counter, you see six glasses, expensive-looking, probably Venetian. A male voice, speaking with the that singing Yiddish accent that sounds polite, friendly, yet slightly mocking greets you from behind the counter: "Shalom - may peace be with you. How can I help you?" It belongs to a middle-aged man with dark eyes, curly hair and a hooked nose, whose yellow patch of cloth is really not needed to identify him as a Jew.

ooc: I've looked at the floor plans provided in GotF - I will have to change them somewhat because the proportions are unrealistic. Don't rely on them too much.

Rabanus will stay in the back and leave the talking to someone else.
If talking doesnt lead us anywhere, he will be ready to use some Intellego magic to find the covenant.

Arturous follows Honorus into the shop and scans the room silently.
Finding nothing out of the ordinary, he finally turns to acknowledge the man behind the counter. He paces slowly toward him, and looks into his eyes.

Speaking slowly in his heavy, alien accent, he enunciates every syllable to make sure the elderly Jew understands him.
"My companions and I are looking for something – something left here by a former owner a long long time ago"
He carefully studies the man's face for any sign of recognition

"we wish to search your store..."

The jew uses a strange glass lense to look at the visitors:
"I was told the former owners of this shop were heretics - who were turned out by the archbishop. When I bought the house, I was told it was a good house to give to a Jew, unfit for any Christian soul. Mind I don't want to upset the archbishop." He hesitates for a moment, looking into the empty air. Then he adds, "your request to search my stores is most unusual. It is sure to disrupt my business and cause me inconvenience..." At this point he raises his dark eyes and looks directly at the group - not defiently, more fascinated.

"The inconvenience would be short. I believe we can conclude our affairs here quickly, and that it would be to your advantage to aid us. We could return the favor one day.

Besides, are you not curious as to what we may unravel?"

"Oh curiosity. I am a poor Jew. I can't leave my business unattended. You would have to help me cover the losses for closing the shop - and you would still have to compensate me for anything you found in my basement."

"Your basement you say? So you already have some sense of what we are looking for.
We will compensate you for your lost day of work, but as for what we find – it was never yours to begin with. I see no reason why we should share it – it is of great value to us and of little use to you."